England v Ireland - Preview

England make two changes to the side who beat Italy, with Maro Itoje and Joe Marler coming into the pack.

Itoje makes his first start at lock and prop Marler replaces Mako Vunipola, while uncapped centre Elliot Daly is on the bench.

Ireland hand debuts to centre Stuart McCloskey and flanker Josh van der Flier as they make five changes to the side who lost to France.

Also coming in to the side are Keith Earls, Donnacha Ryan and Mike Ross.

England head coach Eddie Jones: "Playing our first game at Twickenham after two away fixtures will be huge for us. We're determined to put in a strong performance against a clever Irish side who are the benchmark of European rugby."

Ireland head coach Joe Schmidt on attempted mind games by Jones: "I think we're probably less affected by those extraneous things than you people are.

"That's because if we're distracted by that, then that's something that we're wasting energy and time on.

"We get little enough time together as it is. And we're all about making sure that we can be organised, enthusiastic and well-recovered, not distracted.

"People are within their rights to make whatever observation they like from outside the environment. But we know how things are inside the environment."

Head-to-head

England have won four out of the last five meetings against Ireland after only winning one out of the eight games preceding that.

So far in this Six Nations, England have scored more points (55) than the games involving Ireland have provided in total (51).

England are yet to concede a try in this year's Six Nations - restricting both Scotland and Italy to nine points apiece in their two matches so far.

They have started the Six Nations with successive victories for the sixth time in seven years.

Ireland have failed to win their opening two matches of the Five/Six Nations for the first time since 1998, a year in which they picked up the Wooden Spoon.

They scored 82 points in their three away games in the 2015 Six Nations, but managed just nine against France.

England

Mike Brown, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Owen Farrell, Jack Nowell, George Ford, Ben Youngs; Joe Marler, Dylan Hartley (captain), Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, George Kruis, Chris Robshaw, James Haskell, Billy Vunipola.

Replacements: Jamie George, Mako Vunipola, Paul Hill, Courtney Lawes, Jack Clifford, Danny Care, Elliot Daly, Alex Goode.

Ireland

Rob Kearney, Andrew Trimble, Robbie Henshaw, Stuart McCloskey, Keith Earls, Jonathan Sexton, Conor Murray; Jack McGrath, Rory Best, Mike Ross, Donnacha Ryan, Devin Toner, CJ Stander, Josh van der Flier, Jamie Heaslip (captain).

Replacements: Richardt Strauss, Cian Healy, Nathan White, Ultan Dillane, Rhys Ruddock, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Simon Zebo.

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Romain Poite (FFR)

Touch judges: Nigel Owens (WRU) & Alexandre Ruiz (FFR)

TMO: Shaun Veldsman (SARU)

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Cipriani Summer Sale to Young Wasps

Danny Cipriani will leave Sale Sharks and return to his first club Wasps this summer. The 28-year-old had a season left to run on his existing Sale deal, but has chosen to exercise a break clause and return to Wasps, where he made his name, on a two-year contract.

Cipriani left Wasps for the Australian Super Rugby franchise Melbourne Rebels in 2011, but returned to England to join Sale a year later.

The 14-cap England fly-half rejected triple European champions Toulon to sign a contract extension at Sale in February 2015, but will now leave the club a year early this summer

“I’m excited about returning to Wasps next season. It really does feel like coming home,” said Cipriani. “In the professional era, players naturally move clubs more frequently than they used to, but I still feel such a strong connection with Wasps.

“It’s where I learned my trade, alongside incredible players like Lawrence Dallaglio, Joe Worsley, Alex King, Fraser Waters, Josh Lewsey and Paul Sackey. I have such good memories of that period in my life, I feel much more equipped to handle and deal with the expectation that comes when you put on the black and gold jersey

“I feel next season will be the right time for a new challenge, at a club which in my heart will always feel like a second home, where I know I will settle quickly.”

Cipriani broke through at Wasps in 2006 after impressing at England age-grade level, only to court controversy. The England head coach Brian Ashton dropped Cipriani two days before his Test debut in the 2008 Six Nations, after the then 20-year-old was spotted in a nightclub. He eventually made his Test bow later in that campaign.

Though he recovered from a nasty fracture-dislocation of his right ankle to regain his Test spot in the autumn of 2008, he then slipped out of the England picture for six years. A string of disciplinary run-ins and his move to Melbourne left Cipriani out of the Test picture, before he set about rebuilding his reputation at Sale.

Despite being hit by a bus on a night out in Leeds in April 2013, Cipriani was able to fulfil his ambition of returning to England colours. 

Stuart Lancaster took Cipriani on the summer tour to New Zealand in 2014, with the Sale star pushing hard for a regular berth. He featured in the 2015 Six Nations and World Cup warm-up matches, but was omitted from England’s final squad for the autumn’s global showdown.

Wasps won two Heineken Cups, Cipriani featuring in the 2007 European triumph, before the club slipped close to administration. The owner Derek Richardson has guided Wasps to financial security through the Coventry switch, however, leaving Cipriani impressed.

“It’s brilliant to see how the club has rebuilt over the past couple of seasons,” said the fly-half. “The potential of the squad that Dai [Young] has developed is really exciting and I have been impressed by the ambition Wasps have shown since Derek Richardson took over and stabilised things.

“I’m really looking forward to playing alongside guys I started my career with, like James Haskell, Joe Simpson, Christian Wade and Elliot Daly, in a squad that loves to play attacking, expansive rugby.”

Young said he was delighted to be able to bring Cipriani back to Wasps. “We have always been keen for Danny to return to Wasps; everyone knows how talented a player he is and how much his game has developed since he made such an impact for England at a young age.

“As well as his obvious attacking attributes, Danny has matured as a player and controls the game well as a 10.”

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